Portable electrically-illuminated sign.



Patnted ct. 2|, |902. H. S. KEMP. l PORTABLE ELECTBICALLY ILLUMINATED SIGN.

(Application med Feb. 21s, 190m `(No Model.)

Wim/12ms? l ff i. A

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY. SUMNE-R KEMP, OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE REVERSIBLE ELECTRIC CAR SIGN CO., OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA, A CORPORATION OF VIRGINIA.

PORTABLE ELECTRICALLY-ILLUMINATED SIGN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 711,867, dated October 21, 1902. Application filed February 25, 1902. `Serial No. 95,599. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern: l with the contact-forming device and support Be it known that I, HENRY SUMNER KEMP, therefor in section, and Fig.v 5 is a bottom acitizen of the United States, residing at Richplan of the contact-forming device.A

mond, in the county of Henrico and State'of Referring to the drawings by reference-nu- 5 Virginia, have invented new and useful Irn- Inerals, wherein like numerals of reference 55 proveniente in Portable Electrically-Illumiindicate corresponding parts throughout the nated Signs, of which the following is a speoiseveral views, l denotes the dashboard of an iication. electrically-propelled street-railway car, al-

This invention relates to certain new and though the invention is applicable to other lo useful improvements in portable electrical vehicles which are electrically propelled or 6o illuminated signs particularly adapted for vehicles wherein a storage battery can be emuse in connection with electrically-propelled ployed for illuminating the sign; but for the vehicles for indicating the route of the same, purpose of fully illustrating the invention I -although the sign is applicable for advertising have shown the adaptation of the device to I5 and other purposes. the dashboard of an electrically-propelled 65 The object of the invention is to construct street-railway car, although the sign may be an electrical illuminated sign which can be attached to other parts of the car instead of detached from and connected to the vehicle the dashboard, if desired. To the dashboard, at any point desired, closing when connected ras shown, is secured the contact forming 2o to the vehicle an electrical circuit for' the device, which consists of a hollow casing 2, 7c purpose of illuminating the sign. having an open bottom and one of its side 'The invention further aims to provide an walls provided with a slot 3. The rear wall velectrical illuminated sign with a new and 0f the casing 2 is formed with the apertured novel contact-supporting hanger, which in extensions 4, through which extend the fas- 2 5 conjunction with suitable supports and contening means 4. for securing the contact de- 75 tact-forming devices carried by the vehicle or vice in position. Within the casing 2 is arother support enables the sign to be posiranged a pair of insulated blocks 5, which tioned and supported at any point desired. abut against the inner face of the rear, front,

The invention further aims to construct an and slotted side wall thereof. The blocks 5 3o electrical illuminated sign which shall be eX- are of a width corresponding to the distance 8o tremely simple in its construction, strong, between one end of the slot and the corredurable, and comparatively inexpensive to sponding end of the slotted side wall, or, in set up; and to this end it consists of the novel other words, the blocks 5 are of such size that combination and arrangement of parts herethey do not pass the edges of the slot 3. Ar-

35 inaftermore specificallydescribed,illustrated ranged within the casing 2 and abutting 85 in the accompanying drawings, and particuagainst the inner face of the side wall oppolarly pointed out in the claims hereunto apsite the slot 3 is apair of insulated plates 6 7, pended. y which also abut against each other and are In describing the invention in detail refsecured in position by means of the bolt 8,

4o erence is had to the'accompanying drawings, which extends through them and said side 9o wherein the improved electrical illuminated wall and which carries on its outer end the sign is shown as connected to a street-railway fastening-nut 9. The plate 6 carries the bindcar, and in whiching-screw 10 for the positive conductor or wire Figure l is an elevation, broken away, of 1l, the latter passing through a part of the 45 the dashboard of a car, showing the support said plate 6. The screw l0 also secures to 95 and contact-forming device secured thereto. the plate 6 the laterally-extending contact- Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional View of the sign spring 12, which projects between the blocks attached to the dashboard of the car. Fig. 3 5 near one side thereof, or, in other words, is a top plan view thereof, partly broken the binding-screw 10 is adapted to electric- 5o away. Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of the sign ally connect one end of the conductor 1l with roo the spring and the conductor or wire 14.`

The 4rear wall of the casing 2 is formed with a suitable opening, through which extend the conducting-wires 11 14, adapted to be in communication withasource of electrical supply.

The reference-numeral 16 denotes a latch pivoted at one end to the slotted wall of the I. casing 2 and is adapted to have its free end engage in a keeper 17, secured to the slotted side wall at a point opposite the pivotal connection of the latch. The function of the latch will be hereinafter set forth.

Arranged below the contact-formin g device is a supporting-bracket consisting of a vertical and horizontal memberlS and 19, respectively, the latter formed integral approximately centrally with the outer 'face of the former and provided with a cupped end 20, having an opening 21. The function of the cupped end 20 will be hereinafter described. The vertical member 18 is formed with suitable openings, through which extend the fastening means 2l' for securing the supportingbracket in position, as shown, to the dashboard l below the contact device. The horizontal member 19 is provided with a hinged plate for closing the cupped end thereof when the supporting-bracket is not in use. This plate is adapted to prevent the entrance of any foreign mattei' to the cupped end, and the opening in the cupped end is adapted to permit the discharge of any matter if it should enter the said cupped end.

The sign consists of a frame 22,carrying the removable face or sign plate 28, the latter having the names of the street, stations, advertising inscriptions,or other matter thereon. The inscription upon the plate 23 is formed of transparent material constituting the sign or indicator, which when illuminated plainly presents said names or other matters or when used in connection with the car, so that the route of the car may be readily read olf. The frame 22 is preferably constructed of a single piece of sheet metal and substantially concavo-convexin contour, although any con guration may be-employed; but the frame should be provided with rear, top, and bottom walls 24 25 26, respectively. The inner face of the frame 22 is coated with white enamel, porcelain, or other suitable means,forming thereby a deflector. The front edge of the frame is constructed with an inwardly extending ange 27 for retaining the plate 23 in position. The frame is also provided in one side with l an opening 28 to permit of the entrance of loop 30, which when the plate is in position l is adapted to aline with a similar loop 31, carried by the frame.

The reference-numeral 32 denotes a fastening-pin constructed with a pair of arms,which engage in the loops 30 31 for retaining the plate 23 to the frame 22 to prevent the removal of the former unless the fastening-pin is disconnected from the loops 30 31. The top and bottom walls have each secured to their inner face the guide-strips 33 34 for the plate 23. To the rear face of the wall 25 of the frame 22 is secured, by means of the straps 35 36, a vertical member 37, forming a hanger, which may be constructed of any suitable material, rectangular in cross-section of suitable length, and is provided with a vertical passage 39,ex tending centrally thereof from near the top to near the bottom and then at right angles to the remaining portion, as at 40. Extending through the passage 39 are the leading-in wires 41 42 for the lamp 43, mounted upon the base 44, carried by the bottom wall 26 of the frame. The rear wall 25 of the frame is provided with an opening which registers with the right-angled portion 40 of the passage 39 to permit of the entrance of the leading-in wires 41 42. The top of the passage 39 communicates with an opening 45, which is closed at eachV side by meas of the contact-plates 46 47, respectively. These communicate with their respective leading -in wire and are adapted to contact with the springs 12 15. 22 is a door to permit of access to the frame.

The sign is set up in the following manner: The plate 23 is secured in the frame 1 by means of the fastening-pin and is carried to the vehicle or car, and the lower portion of IOO the vertical member or hanger 37 inserted in the cup-shaped end of the supportingbracket and the upper end inserted in the contact-forming device through the slotted side wall thereof, so that the contact-plates of the vertical member engage with the contact-springs 12 and 15, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. When the sign is in this position, the latch 16 engages in the keeper 17 and secures the upper end of the vertical member 37 in positionthat is to say, prevents the Vertical member from becoming dislodged from the contact-forming device. will be obvious that the horizontal member 19 with its cupped end will support the sign, owing to the position of the lower end of the vertical member or hanger 37 therein. When it is desired to remove the sign, all that is necessary is to open the latch, grasp the handle of the frame, slide the vertical member orhanger fromvbetween the contact-springs 12 15, and then remove the vertical member or hanger from the cup-shaped end of the horizontal member 19 of the supportingbracket.

It is thought the-many advantages of a IIO portable electrical illuminated sign constructed in the manner set forth can be readily understood from the foregoing description,taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, and it will also be noted that various minor changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the general spirit of my invention.

In some cases the sign proper may be dispensed with and the article used simply as a headlight or other device, the term illuminated sign being simply employed as a convenient one andas descriptive of the specific embodiment of the invention shown in this application.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a portable electrical illuminated sign, thecombination with a suitable frame provided with a lamp and carrying a face or sign plate, of a hanger secured to said frame, leading-in wires extending through said hanger and connected to said lamp, contact-plates attached to said hanger and engaging said Wires, a contact-forming device in communication with a source of electrical supply, adapted to receive the upper end of said hanger and engage with said contacts for closing an electrical circuit, a supporting-bracket provided With a cupped end to receive the lower end of said hanger for securing the sign in position, and means for retaining the upper end of said hanger within the contactforming device.

2. In a portable electrical illuminated sign, the combination with a suitable frame provided with a lamp and carrying a face or sign plate, of a hanger secured to said frame and provided with a suitable passage terminating at its top in an opening, a contactplate for closingeach end of said opening, electrical conductors extending through said passage and connected at their upper end to said plates and at their lower end to said lamp, a contact-forming device in communication with a source of electrical supply and adapted to engage with the said plates for closing an electrical circuit thereby illuminating said lamp, and a supporting-bracket adapted to receive the lower end of said hanger for retaining the sign in posit-ion.

3. In an electrical illuminated sign, a hanger therefor consisting of a vertical member provided with a passage, conductors extending through the passage and contactplates connected to the vertical member and engaging with the conductors, a contact-form` ing device communicating with a source of electricity and engaging with the contactplates for closing an electrical circuit, means for retaining the vertical member Within said contact-forming device, and a supportingbracket adapted to receive the vertical member for retaining the sign in position.

4. In an electrical illuminated sign, a contact-forming device consisting of a hollow casing having an open bottom and one ofits side Walls slotted and a pair of contactsprings secured therein and in communication with a source of electrical supply, a supporting-bracket provided with a cupped end,

a hangerlfor the sign, contact-plates carried by the hanger and suitably connected to a translating device, said hanger adapted to be inserted in said casing through the slotted side wall thereof so that the contact-plates will engage with the said contact-springs for closing an electrical circuit, said hanger adapted to be inserted in the cupped end of said bracket for retaining the sign in position, and means connected to the contactforming device for securing the hanger therein.

5. In an electrical illuminated sign, a contact-forming device consisting of a hollow casing having an open bottom and a slotted side Wall, a pair of insulated plates secured Within the casing and a pair of contactsprings connected to said plates and in communication with a source of electrical supply, a hanger for the sign, contact-plates carried by the hanger and suitably connected to a translatingdevice, said hanger adapted to be inserted in said casing through the slotted side wall thereof so that the contact-plates will engage with the said contact-springs for closing an electrical circuit, and a supportin g-bracket for said hanger.

6. In an electrical illuminated sign, a contact-forming device consisting of a hollow casing, a pair of insulated plates secured therein and a pair ot' contact-springs connected to said plates and in communication with a source of electrical supply, a hanger for the sign, contact-plates carried by the hanger and suitably connected to a translating device, said hanger adapted to be inserted in said casing so that the contact-plates will engage said springs for closing an electrical circuit, and a bracket provided with a cupped end adapted to receive said hanger for supporting the sign.

7. In an electrical illuminated sign, a contact-forming device consisting of ahollow casing, a pair of insulated plates secured therein and a pair of contact-springs connected to said plates and in communication with a source ot' electrical supply, a hanger for the sign, contact-plates carried by the hanger and suitably connected to a translating device, said hanger adapted to be inserted in said casing so that the contact-plates will engage said springs for closing an electrical circuit, a bracket provided with a cupped end adapted to receive 4the said hanger for supporting the sign, and means connected to the casing for retaining the hanger therein.

8. In an electrical illuminated sign, a contact-forming device consisting of a hollow casing, a pair of insulated plates secured therein and a pair of contact-springs connected to said plates and in communication with a source of electrical supply, a hanger for the TOO IIO

IZO

sign, contact-plates carried by the hanger and suitably connected to a translating device, said hanger adapted to be inserted in said casing so that the contact-plates will engage said springs for closing an electrical circuit, and a bracket consisting of a vertical and a horizontal member, the latter provided with a cupped end adapted to receive the hanger for supporting the sign.

9. In an electrical illuminated sign, a contact-forming device consisting of a hollow casing, a pair ofinsulated plates secured therein and apair of contact-springs connected to said plates and in communication with a source of electrical supply, a hanger for the sign, contact-plates carried by the hanger and suitably connected to a translating device,

said hanger adapted to be inserted in said casing so that the contact-plates will engage said springs for closing an electrical circuit, a bracket consisting of a vertical and a horizontal member, the latter provided with a cupped end adapted to receive the hanger for supporting the sign, and a latch connected to the casino.r for retaining the hanger therein. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing Witv nesses.

HENRY SUMNER KEMP. Witnesses:

N. LoUIs BOGAN, GEO. W. REA. 

